SF book/short story possibly Asimov - material reduced until only god is left

This should be a quick one: I am trying to remember the name of a short story I believe, where a machine/fuel source is created which uses all the matter until all that is left is God. There is a war and the motors are used and the results are "planes being grabbed out of the air for no apparent reason" and other unexplained occurrences "as God chose no sides but acted indiscriminately after being released".

I think it was at least the 1960's & maybe before in the "Golden Age" of SF.

Thanks.

From your header, I thought you were referring to Asimov's "The Last Question", but that clearly isn't it (might be why you were thinking Asimov, though). I have a vague feeling I've read this story, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

The explicit theism doesn't seem very Asimov-esque to me. No idea about the story, sorry.

2 &3 , Yep you are both right but in an older story thinking Asimov covers a lot of territory! ;-) Maybe it was written in his hey day by someone else, & that led me that way. I want to use it as a reference in another discussion if I can track it down.

In a discussion on AI's in Science it seems people are deconstructing the function of the brain down to small components and constructing software/hardware from tiny parts - both to achieve an AI consciousness . It reminded me of the old story - maybe they are looking for the "God factor" in consciousness. ;-)

Aha! Found it! It is a short story ;

“The Absolute At Large” (1922)- Karel Capek – Starting in 1943 as another war is on its way. A man invents what he calls a Karburator. It’s supposed to provide complete utilization of atomic energy. What it does is release God into the world with wide ranging consequences. Another great satire from Capek.

Jeez, it was in more than one short story collection- thought you guys would know that off the top of your head. ;-)

https://vintage45.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/a-century-of-great-short-science-fict...

So glad you found it! (I wanted to read it too.)

Touchstone: Absolute at Large